


Bendy and the Ink Machine Short Stories

by TheLittlestPikachu



Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-18
Updated: 2019-03-28
Packaged: 2019-08-25 05:23:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16655008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLittlestPikachu/pseuds/TheLittlestPikachu
Summary: If you're wondering, my Joey has MS. I was originally going to have him have polio but I decided that the deterioration was too rapid and quickly fatal for my intentions.





	1. Before the Beginning

Henry sat at his desk with his pen in hand, working diligently to the sound of Sammy's singing along to Jack’s lyrics in an attempt to decipher a new score to the latest animation. 

It was rather incredible what those two could complete from just a storyboard that Joey shows off.

“Henry, we might cut it close for this deadline.” Speak of the devil. Joey wheels his way over to Henry, a bit of ink smudged on his cheek.

“Why now?” Henry asked, not looking up from his page.

“Suzie can't record today, something about having plans.”

“And? The animation isn't done yet.”

“But you know how she is.”

Everyone knew what Joey meant by that. Suzie didn't always do things exactly how Joey wanted the first take so they tended to butt heads over trivial things like tone of voice.

Suzie's lack of patience often sent Joey into fits that practically destroyed the studio surprisingly fast for a man who couldn't walk.

Sammy had once described the outbursts as a “beautiful cacophony” of perfection which Wally won't let him forget and the janitor often enlisted the help of the tall man when Joey pitched a fit. Not that Sammy minded though, he enjoyed singing while they worked and occasionally convinced others to join in.

The studio was usually a friendly environment when Joey wasn't causing trouble for everyone but deadlines had started getting close with animations halfway done or less.

The tension was felt from the voice actors to the music department. The studio was sinking and it looked like everyone would go down with it when the time came.

For now, Henry and Joey worked together on the art, Sammy and Jack constructed songs from ideas, and Suzie gave life to an angel. They were there to make dreams come true, even if those goals were clouded by ink.


	2. Torching the Empire

“What do you mean you're leaving?!” Joey snarled across this desk at Henry, slamming his hands on the sturdy wood. His pale eyes were chips of ice in his skull as he stared at his once best friend.

 

“I would stay if I could.” Henry muttered, backing up a bit in surprise.

 

Was this really Joey? He had been acting so much colder lately.

 

“Is it because of Linda?!”

 

“What? No! It's-”

 

“Don't you dare lie to me!”

 

“I'm not! I was drafted!”

 

The color drained from Joey's face at the news and his jaw tightened more, shocked at the news. He didn't know what to say or do now but he didn't have the chance to say anything whirling in his mind because Henry continued.

 

“Besides, you're sick with… whatever this is and it doesn't seem like you'll be around long.” He sighed, brown eyes glazed with sadness.

 

“Get out.” Joey hissed.

 

“What?”

 

“I said get out! Get the fuck out of here!”

 

Wincing from the brutality of the words, Henry hurried to his feet and rushed from the room, nearly knocking over Wally who was sweeping outside in the process.

 

_ Good… When I die, I want to be alone.  _ Joey thought, wheeling around to face the wall of his office rather than the door. Suddenly, an idea dawned on him and he hummed softly.  _ Unless… I can avoid it. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're wondering, my Joey has MS. I was originally going to have him have polio but I decided that the deterioration was too rapid and quickly fatal for my intentions.


	3. Drowned in Ink

"Hello? Joey?" Sammy slowly stepped into the studio and felt... confused. 

Where did all this ink come from and where was everyone?

His deep blue eyes scanned the area before a strange noise made the lanky man jump, glancing around frantically before finding the source of the sound.

It was... something made of ink?

"What the...?" He slowly crept forward before his pounding heart stopped, tears springing to his eyes as the creature fled.

That...that thing was wearing Jack's favorite hat! Jack never lost sight of that hat and this creature had it!

Tears streaming down his face, Sammy started sprinting through the studio in search of anyone. Someone had to be here, right?! 

"Joey! Suzie! Wally!" His deep voice echoed in the silent halls as he scoured the top floor for someone. They had to be okay! If Wally wasn't okay...

He skidded to a stop in front of the dreaded abyss that he knew held the disgusting ink machine. That thing was such a waste of space and money. It was better to be left in the inky depths or be dismantled all together.

Suddenly, the blonde noticed a sound he hadn't before and whirled around, recognizing the second of a wheelchair as Joey's arrival. He looked fair more sickly that when the studio shut down and his movements were stiffer from more than just age. The illness was spreading to his arms now...

"Joey.... where is everyone? What was that thing wearing Jack's hat?! Where are my husbands?!" Sammy found his voice dripping with emotion as more tears rolled down his face, a hand slowly finding the small cross dangling around his neck.

Joey chuckled dully, slowly getting closer to the tall man which caused him to back up until his hips hit the railing. "You're a religious man, right, Lawrence?" He spat, his eyes glaring through the former employee.

"Y-yes sir...."

"Well, God can't help you now." Before Sammy could utter a response, he felt himself falling backward then down.

Time seemed to slow as he tried to process what happened. The glimmer of his gold cross made his eyes lose focus on the cruel face watching him fall. 

Joey fucking Drew.

All at once, black ink consumed him and he tried his hardest to swim towards the surface but he couldn't find it. Which way was up? Was he even going anywhere?

A ripple shook the darkness and he was being sucked towards something! The lanky man didn't have time to process what was happening when his back struck something hard, causing him to attempt to cry out in pain but only have his mouth fill with ink. He was drowning!

The last thing he felt was his body be dragged into a confined space before he lost consciousness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Joey sat where he was as the machine roared with the stress of another body. 

What number was this again? It had to be over a dozen.

He had yet to see what it would do if someone was sent through multiple times but maybe Sammy would be a good experiment. Hopefully Suzie would arrive soon and they could have some real fun.

Wally hadn't shown his ugly face yet either...

Joey was pulled from his thoughts when another wriggling slug was spat out onto the platform. Strange. He could still see the outline of the man's necklace.

Before this one could slither off, the ill man shoved it back through with his wheelchair.

"Hurry up, Lawrence. We have gods to appease." He snarled, wheeling away from where the next creation would be dumped.

Unfortunately, he didn't have time to see what happened as the front door opened again and another familiar voice filled the halls.

Good. Miss Campbell was finally here.


	4. Into the Depths

"Alright, Joey. Let's see if we can find what you wanted me to see." Henry muttered to himself as he stepped into the abandoned cartoon studio, brows furrowed in slightly confusion.   
  
Where was he? The man didn't have the decency to show up? Then again, this letter a bit old and Joey was so sick....   
  
Shaking his head to clear it, Henry started his slow journey into the now chilling studio that so long ago had welcomed him with the familiar faces and voices of co-workers who had started to feel like family, the sound of music nearly a constant with pen on paper keeping time. It didn't feel like thirty years or just yesterday. Like a dream that was on the edge of his conscious.   
  
"Huh?" He slowly turned his attention to the projector whirring in the front room and felt his mouth go dry. That shouldn't be on.... Why is it even here?   
  
He slowly made his way over and shut the thing off but that didn't make him feel any better because another sound became apparent in what should be silence: footsteps on another level or just far away.   
  
_ Your mind is playing tricks on you, Henry.  _ He thought as he began exploring the area.

 

After some searching and collecting various items around the studio that seemed… important somehow, Henry stumbled upon a balcony that he didn't remember with a sudden drop into what looked and smelled like ink. Seeing chains and a lift that lead to something within the depths, he reluctantly stuck the two nearby batteries in the machine and pulled the lever to pull it out of the blackness.

 

“Let's see what you're hiding down there old pal.” The short man muttered as the cogs came to life with a shuttering, lung shaking mechanical groan, the thick chains clanking loudly in the effort of moving after so long collecting dust. As slowly as expected, the surface of the inky pool rippled and parted to release a monstrous machine that looked like some type of corrupt wood chipper.

 

“What the hell, Joey?” Sighing and rubbing his face, Henry glanced around a moment for a way to get this thing working. “If this is some satanic shit, I'm gonna kill him.”

 

As if in reply, his satchel that held the items he had collected while wandering started to feel oddly heavy and he slowly attempted to find where they belonged, cursing under his breath until he came to a strange room that wasn't there before full of pedestals with frames containing symbols. Despite his confusion and dread, he slowly set each item on the correct pedestal with a murmur of nearly forgotten names.

 

A record for Sammy.

A wrench for Wally.

A doll for Susie.

A bottle of ink for…. himself?

_ The Illusion of Living _ for Joey.

Who could the cogwheel be though?

 

Either way, something seemed to switch on and Henry headed back to the machine to see what it did. His heart leapt into his mouth at the beast that was now dominating most of the doorway, similar to the little devil that littered the studio but more skeletal with spines protruding from its backbone and ink dripping from every part of it. A gasp that he didn't realize was his own filled the air and the creature whirled around unnaturally before starting to limp towards him with a twisted, inky grin, extending a deformed hand as Henry bolted away in the direction of the door.

 

_ Freedom! _ The brunette briefly thought as his hand brushed the wooden door but his relief froze to dread when the wood under his feet disappeared, leaving the war veteran slipping into open air an unknown distance.

 

As the trap door faded from view, Henry swore he heard a gurgling, rough voice break through his fear.

 

**_“Welcome home, old friend.”_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know I skipped a lot of Moving Pictures in this but I promise the next one will contain more! Chapter 1 is just a bit boring, honestly, so I wasn't going to go in depth. Also, I was wanting to change the title of the work since this isn't just short stories about it like I thought it would be (since I'm writing for every chapter) so, leave some suggestions!


End file.
